How Giving Up Refined Sugar Changed My Brain

How Giving Up Refined Sugar Changed My Brain

Michael Grothaus

After two weeks of eating a refined-sugar-free diet, I can say my simple assumptions about the effects of my previous diet on my body and cognitive function were wrong. After giving up refined sugars for only two weeks, I feel as if a veil has been lifted and I can see clearly for the first time.

Mentally, I feel better than I have in years. I’m happier, more aware, and more focused. I sleep better without any disruptions and wake more refreshed than ever–I haven’t felt this energetic since I was a teenager. My relationship with hunger has also changed. Sure, I still get hungry–just nowhere near as often. Eating a diet free from refined sugars fills me up and keeps me full for seven or eight hours. This has changed my concept of what my previous bouts of “hunger” actually were. I now realize that prior to this diet, most of the times I had felt “hungry”–every three hours or so–it was my body reaching out for another sugar hit. It wasn’t true hunger.

As for those previous daily sweet cravings I assumed were perfectly natural: sugar in my coffee? Don’t even miss it. Those shelves full of candy bars at the check out? When I now see those sticks of chocolate-coated refined sugar, they might as well be pulped cardboard–that’s how much I now desire to eat them. Weaning myself off refined sugars has also allowed my body to reset what it perceives as sweet. For the first time in my life, the richness and nuance of the flavors of fruits and vegetables pop when I eat them. Now I understand why a century ago, oranges were given to children on Christmas Day–they were an incredibly sweet treat. Who needed chocolates?

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It's really quite amazing when you switch your body from sugar-burner to fat-burner.  Based on my experiences, the brain loves running on fat and the positive effects occur very quickly and are crazy awesome!!

Sci, haven't posted in a very long time but ALWAYS check out stuff you post when I visit, especially in philosophical discussion area.  Thank you!

[url=https://getpocket.com/explore/item/how-giving-up-refined-sugar-changed-my-brain?utm_source=pocket-newtab][/url]

Ditto. The brain is a different organism without sugar.

So is it worth those of us who don't have a sweet tooth, and don't eat desserts or sweet snacks, switching over to a sugar-rich diet for a few weeks, just to see how bad we feel?